Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva met with the U.S. Congressmen who were visiting Ukraine. The delegation included members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, particularly Utah Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, New Jersey Congressman Donald Norcross, and California Congressman Jimmy Panetta. The delegation also included aides to the U.S. Congressmen, namely Mary Morgan Bell, Foreign Policy Advisor, and Executive Assistant to Congressman Gary Palmer; Taylor Fairless, National Security Advisor to Congressman Jimmy Panetta; and Ed Kaczmarski, Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Donald Norcross. 

The representatives of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), who have organized such a visit of U.S. members of Congress to Ukraine in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion, also joined the meeting. 

During the meeting, Tamila Tasheva expressed gratitude for the bipartisan support of the U.S. Congress for Ukraine and the military, economic, political, and humanitarian assistance provided by the United States.

The Permanent Representative briefed the delegation on the current work and achievements of the Mission/Office of the Crimea Platform. In particular, she emphasized the drafted laws, reintegration strategies, and decisions. Tamila Tasheva emphasized that Ukraine is liberating not only the territories but also the people who are subjected to constant persecution and repression by the occupiers in Crimea.  

Ms. Tasheva also emphasized the successes of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine in the Black Sea, described the destruction of the occupiers’ Black Sea Fleet ships, and stressed the importance of providing military assistance to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

The Permanent Representative also described the situation of the Indigenous peoples of Ukraine in occupied Crimea. She emphasized that after the full-scale invasion, the number of political cases and illegal sentences of the Russian occupation courts increased, and most of the persecuted and convicted were representatives of the Indigenous people—the Crimean Tatars:

“Russia’s colonization policy began a long time ago, culminating in the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people and deportation in 1944. Since the occupation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, many Crimean Tatars have been harassed and persecuted again because of their pro-Ukrainian position. Only in a Ukrainian Crimea can the rights of Crimean Tatars and all Crimean residents be guaranteed and protected, and that is why the liberation of Crimea is vital for us,” the Permanent Representative stated. 

The discussion with the Congressmen also focused on maintaining communication with Ukrainian citizens in occupied Crimea, reintegration of the peninsula, the state of cultural and historical monuments, and restoring Ukrainian authorities after de-occupation.

The Permanent Representative also emphasized that it remains essential for Ukraine to speak about Crimea, to hear Crimea, and not to cede territory to the aggressor.

We thank the United States of America for its systematic support of Ukraine and assistance in countering Russian aggression.